ESSEQUIBO: Always BANKS Country – by Francis Quamina Farrier + video

ESSEQUIBO: Always BANKS Country – by Francis Quamina Farrier

The Bolivian Republic of Venezuela has once again been flexing its military muscle in the face of its smaller peace-loving neighbour, The Cooperative Republic of Guyana. But from all indications, the many international friends of the only English-Speaking country in South America, are solidly backing-up Guyana – BANKS Country – and encouraging it to yield, “NOT A BLADE OF GRASS”, or “one carass”; lyrics in the popular Dave Martins patriotic song which also states, “Not a drop of water, from the Pomeroon”, (river) where Dave Martins was born. One of the reasons is that Essequibo, like the rest of “The Land of Many Waters”, including the bottled water, Tropical Mist, remains, “BANKS COUNTRY”.

I was at the recent BANKS DIH Annual Essequibo Shareholders Meeting at Airy Hall on the Essequibo Coast in Region 2 last Sunday, and from my own observations, the scores of BANKS DIH Shareholders who attended, were displaying the kind of UNITY which makes for STRENGTH, especially in the face of a shameless foreign aggressor.

In declaring that “Guyana is BANKS Country”, some years ago, the Management and Directors, obviously included all of Essequibo, and so, for nearly twenty years, the Company has been holding Annual Shareholders Branch Meetings after the Major one at the Thirst Park Headquarters in Georgetown; they include Airy Hall on the Essequibo Coast, Region 2, Bartica on the Essequibo river, Region 7, Linden on the Upper Demerara river, Region 10 and New Amsterdam in Region 6.

In this feature article, I am reporting on the two BANKS DIH Branch Shareholders Meetings in the County of Essequibo; the one at Airy Hall was held last Sunday to a packed-to-overflowing venue of the Company’s Essequibo Coast Location. In his address to the Shareholders in attendance, Company Chairman Clifford. B. Reis, CCH, informed those present of the increase in the value of their shares, and reminded them of his advice in the past, not to sell their shares. “The Shareholders’ Net Asset Value per Share is now $40.15 per Share when compared with the 2017 Value of $34.33 per Share”, he revealed. The Company Chairman also alluded to the Quality Awards which were bestowed on BANKS DIH products such as the 12 Year Old and 15 Year Old XM Rums which copped Grand Gold Medal Prizes.

Focusing on the BANKS DIH Management and Staff as “The Winning Team”, Clifford Reis also told the Company’s Essequibo Shareholders of the Company’s, “Commitment to innovative technology, especially in the Solar Energy sector”. Three days later on Wednesday last, many of the BANKS DIH Shareholders at Bartica, turned up for their Annual Meeting. Bartica and all of Region 7, is located in the large section of Essequibo claimed by Venezuela, and in asking a young Shareholder who resides at the new and large Bartica Four Mile Housing Scheme what was her opinion about the situation, her response was, “No way, Venezuela.”

The Bartica Shareholders were also informed of the encouraging improvements in the performances of both the BANKS DIH and subsidiary CITIZEN BANK at Bartica. The Chairman, once again made a request for a suitable plot of land on which to build a larger CITIZENS Bank since the one now in use has become too small to give the quality service to customers as desired by the Management. BANKS DIH Ltd.

In its declared announcement that Guyana is “BANKS COUNTRY”, the Company has also in a way, directed a strong message to Venezuela that Guyana has “A WINNING TEAM”.

Shareholders Clinton Dash of Onderneming and Canadian-born Guyanese citizen David Goodreau of Jacklow, Pomeroon, toast BANKS DIH at Airy Hall.The Essequibo river is in the background. (Photo by F.Q. Farrier)

Elizabeth Moonsammy and Neil Dougal two BANKS Shareholders at Bartica at the BANKS Branch Meeting. The Essequibo river is one block away. (Photo by Francis Q. Farrier)